Golf ball projector



Filed March 12, 1949 I N VENTOE Geor e E. F/orer Patented Dec. 4, 1951 K 25mins 'GOI'JFBAIEL PROJECTOR. GeorgeeEivElorentwest IlesMoinesaInWa Annncaitnmmii 12, 1M9; seriallnt; 81,171.

lGl'ailm. (o1. rat-e16 invention relates generally togolf -balldriving; devices and in particularto a golf-bail I driving: device of portable type adapted to" be usedin-theplaying'ofgol'f over-a usualg'olfcoursea- An object of this invention is to provide animprovedjgolf-playing:device:

furtherobject of this invention is to pro'v-id'eja; golfing device for use in golf course play in which; a; mechanically actuated golf club? is adaptedto simulatei substantially all ofthe shots of a usual hand-manipulatedclub'z Stillanot-her object of this invention is to provide a golf playing machine capable of being used by physical-ly handicapped-persons, such'aswar veteran's orthe like in play overa usual goif-course: v

A feature ofthisinventionis--found in=the'pro=- vision of a golf ball drivingdevice in which" a" golf" club supported an upright position: ad jacen-t to the front endof a por-tableirame'forswinging movement longitudinally of the frame;- The" forward swinging movement of the club is stopped at a substantially-ball-contacting pos-iltionb-yayieldable stop means' carried on the frame; Theclubis moved rearwardl-y -to asw ing starting position by a manually operated-lever meansandis then hel'd in its starting-- position; independently or the lever means by a releas'able locking-means.- On are-leaseof thedocking means the cl'ub is :swungforwardly toits forward-orstop positiom by atensionspring being placed undertensionon the' rearward:movement-0t" the club to:- itsstarting position:

Eurther objects; features and advantaaeswf this invention will become: apparent from the: following description. when; taken in connection; with the accompanying drawings; inrw-hicht:

Eig; 12, is a: perspective. view; of the golf-playing; device of: thislinvention; and- Fig: l2 ais; a reducedzsectionaluview asgsee'naalongl-i the-line?:l2;iniEig; 1;.

With reference to the drawings the golf-playing device of this invention isillustrated in Fig. l aihaving a portable frame, indicated generally-at SI and including a pair of1ike,uprightltubular; side sections 6 andfia of a generally triangular shape having their base-members F arranged in substantially horizontal planes; one of their side; members 85in vertical nlanesrandz h ir hird;si ie members. lninclineddownwardlwand rearwarclly betw en the'm mbers .andB.

The. lframe ,sections 6 and, fiauareiarrangedgopiwsitelsc; from ,eachother, withthQASidB members 8 at the front of the frame, 5. The rear ends of the base members Tare connected together by a tubulars-transverse braceqliaandxthe upright' mem -r berssllareconnected together ats p sitions spa ced downwardly from their upper ends by a" trans verse brace II which isof agenerally curved shape projectedforwardly ofthemembers 8. A'- pair of ground wheels l-Zare rotatable-on anax l'e or" shaft l-3 which is mounted in brackets l4 suitably secured, by- Welding; to the junction i=6 of an basemember-T and its corresponding up right member 8;

A rock shaft H (Figs: 1 and 2 is rotatabl'y srrpportedfin-bearings i8 whichar'esecured on the side sections 6 and 6a adjacent the top ends of the" upright members 8; Supported from the transverse shaft l1; intermediate its ends, is-tlieshankor'shaft lflof' a golf'clubi designated gen erally as 2 The shank I9} is ci ia ro'd1orba'1" construction and upon rocking? movement? of the" transverseshaft H" is; pivotally' moved? or: swung? in a vertical plane?extended-longitudinally oftlie frame 5. Pivotally supported at'l'z adjacent-the" lower end24" ofjt-he shank-19; is a-club head132- Thelow'er end 2 l of theshank l9 is' or a reduced section and threadably carries an adj usting screw 26; the" front end 2-? of which is in abutting-ens gagement wit-hi the rea'r side or the club head 232' This" engagement is maintained bythe provision; of a torsion spring 28 mounted about the-pivot 2 2* and aictingon the" head 23 to yielda-blw hold the head against the front end" 21 of thescrew 26: Thusbvm'erely manipulating the-screw-2fii the head 23 is pivotally moved-'- so as tocha'nge the pitch or: angle of" its; strikingsurface relative to a? golf ball-1.305 which is to bedrivenz, By-virtue offthislpitcnadjustment of"the-head 23'; fins-seen that 'm'any different type golf-shotsrare obtainable cythe-cmuzla The forward 'swin'ging "movementofthe club- 21" isilimited-at substantiallya ballscontacting' position by the provision of ayield'abl'estop means comprising a pair" of like dash-pot structur'es'i 3 I momteidhor'izbntally, on" the Wheel. shaft lfftb? opposite sides of the path o'fpivotal riioveiiientof' thelshankliz The yieldable membersBZoftHe" dashepotlstru'ctures; 3] areiconnected'jtogetherbw ar bumperi bar .33;which is positioned-rearwardly of the .vwheelaxle-v 33 so as toengage the shank; I9 after-"the; golf ball 7 30", has; been 'contactect'by the club head: 23; The; club, 21 is-vbiasedor yieldably; urged toward-its; stop-positionagainst .theibumper ban: 33 bye-a; tensiorrlspring 34: connected: betweeni thesghlfshankd 9; and :the intermediate :portiont361' oilthe transverseibrac'e al kl Theinoek v shaft; |:1-,i, adjacent; the frame section-i fiaiicarriesa a1.ratchet:-Wheel 3.1 having: teeth'; 3.8:: which are engageable-with'iarstopcpawl 39; of'gra r" ityraetuatedtyneapivotedand!ionzthe'iupperrei'id of the frame section 6a. The ratchet 31 is rotated in a counter-clockwise direction, as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1, by a rack bar 42, extended longitudinally of the frame and having teeth 43 formed over its front section 44. The teeth 43 are yieldably held in engagement with the teeth 37 of the ratchet by a fiat spring 46 supported in the short leg 4! of an L-shape member48, and the long leg 49 is loosely mounted on the rock shaft l7. The leg 49 and an upright projection 5| on the leg 46, constitute guide members for retaining the bar 42 in a slidably supported posi-' tion on the spring 46.

The rear end 52 of the rack bar 42 is pivoted at 53 on an upright support 54 which is secured to one leg 56 of a handle or lever member 51 extended rearwardly from the frame 5. The leg 56,

and corresponding leg 59 for the handle '51, are

arranged in a relatively V-relation with their free or front ends 59 pivotally supported in bearing 6| carried on the inclined members It of the frame sections 6 and 6a, so that the handle 5! is pivotally movable in an up and down direction.

The teeth 38 of the ratchet 3! and the teeth 43 on the rack bar 42 are relatively inclined in one direction so as to be engageable when the rack 42 is moved rearwardly, and to slip by each other, as provided by the spring 46, when the rack is moved forwardly. Thus on a downward pivotal movement of the handle 57, the rack 42 is engaged with the ratchet 31 whereby to rotate the ratchet 31 in a counter-clockwise direction to provide for a rearward movement of the club 2| to what shall be termed its swing-starting position. This starting position may vary, according to the type of golf shot wanted, and is retained by the holding action of the pawl 39. When a starting position is reached, the handle 51 is pivoted upwardly to slip the rack 42 in a forward direction, relative to the ratchet 37, until the ratchet is positioned opposite a cut-away portion 63 formed in the rack at a position rearwardly of the teeth 43, it being understood that the spring 46 is depressed during this forward movement of the rack.

To release the pawl 39 from the ratchet 31 there is provided on the handle 51 a pivoted lever 64 having an upright projection 66 to which is attached one end of a release cord 67, which is suitably guided along the frame section 6a for connection of its opposite end to the pawl 39. On a downward pivotal movement of the lever 64 to a position against the handle 5?, the pawl 39 is moved in a clockwise direction out of engagement with the ratchet 37. With a release of the ratchet 37 the club 2| is swung forwardly to its stop position against the bumper bar 33 by the action of the spring 3 3, it being understood that the spring 34 is placed under tension on rearward movement of the club 2| to its swing-startin position.

In the use of the device of this invention the frame 5 is manipulated to position the club head 23 to engage the ball 30. The pitch of the head 23 is then adjusted depending upon the type of golf shot to be taken. After this initial positioning of the frame 5, a sighting of the club to drive the ball in its intended direction is accomplished by the provision of an upright sight pin H carried on the transverse brace forwardly of the spring 34. The sight pin is arranged in line with the club shank I9 and an object,.such as the flag pole on the green of a golf course, or some other fixed object, in the direction of the drive.

The golfer, using the transverse :brace 9 as a foot rest, then moves the lever 51 upwardly to its full-line position shown in Fig. 2 so as to position the rearward ones of the teeth 43 in the rack 42 in engagement with the ratchet 31. The handle 51 is then pivoted downwardly to move the club 2| rearwardly to a swing-starting position depending upon the length of the drive or the type of golf shot to be undertaken. In other words, at a tee-ofi, the club 2| will usually be moved rearwardly to aposition farther than that used for a medium shot, or a loft shot. For

' putting purposes the club 2| may be moved only a relatively short distance rearwardly.

After the starting position has been ascertained the handle 5'! ispivoted upwardly to disengage the ratchet 31 from the bar 42 so that on release of the pawl 39 only the ratchet, the rock shaft l7 and the club 2| move as a unit in response to the action of the spring 34. In other words, during the driving swing of the club 2|, the ratchet .31 rotates within the cutaway portion 63 formed in the rack bar 42. For moving the device from place to place on a golf course, the handle 51 is used for either pushing or pulling purposes.

Although the invention has been described with respect t apreferred embodiment thereof it is to be understood that it is not to be so'limited since changes can be made therein which are 7 within the full intended scope of this invention as defined by the appended claim.

I claim:

A golf-ball driving device comprising, a frame having a pair of transversely spaced front upright members, a transverse shaft rotatably carried on said upright members, a golf club mounted from said shaft for swinging movement between said upright members in a vertical plane extended longitudinally of said frame, means for limiting the forward swinging movement of said club at a. substantially golf-ball contacting position, spring means for swinging said golf club forwardly, a ratchet wheel mounted on said shaft, a rack bar engageable with said wheel supported on said frame for movement longitudinally thereof,

a lever means pivotally mounted on said frame for up and down movement and extended rear-j wardly from said frame, means connecting said bar with said lever means such that on downward movement of the lever means. said bar is moved rearwardly whereby to rotate said ratchet wheel to provide for the rearward movement of said club to a swing-starting position, means for releasably locking said ratchet wheel in a rotated position,

" means for disengaging said rack from said ratchet wheel 'at said rotated position of the ratchet wheel, and means for releasing said locking means to provide for a forward swinging movement of said club by the action of said spring means.

GEORGE E. FLORERV REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

